Safety Devices for lifting devices are well known. Some examples of known lifting devices are U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,435 as issued to Hofmann on Jul. 25, 1978; U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,951 as issued to Laupper on May 11, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,614 as issued to Naegeli on Jul. 30, 1985; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,618 as issued to Isogai on Aug. 15, 1989. Each of the previously mentioned U.S. patents disclose safety devices which use a rachet arrangement for limiting the movement of a lifting carriage. It is to be noted that none of the cited art safety devices are automatically responsive to breaking of a flexible tension member such as a roller chain, cable, or the like. It has been determined that there is a need for a safety device which is reactive to any breakage of a flexible tension member. More particularly a flexible tension member which is used to operate a lifting carriage particularly as shown an described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,050 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,037. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,797,050, and 4,954,037 are soley owned by the present inventor and are incorporated by reference into the present application to the extent that the present law allows.